Incentive travel planners are faced with clients who just don't have a large budget to spend, these days. Small businesses are cutting out unnecessary expenses with the hope that their employees will not notice, and larger corporations — especially those who accepted government bailout money — are trying to restore their image of competence and frugality. Incentive travel is a scary proposition for them both.

Think incentive cruise.  Cruising is often a much more affordable choice for people who love to travel in general, and could be your answer to the problem of affordable incentive travel. Why? Because cruises are relaxing, cruise lines have expanded their ports of call, and a cruise is typically all inclusive.  

A cruise event can save you as much as 40% compared to a land based hotel venue because almost everything is included. Meals, meeting rooms, A/V, coffee breaks, activities, entertainment and even room service are part of the all-inclusive cruise fare. You spend nothing more for linens, florals, lighting, labor or state/city taxes, which saves your client money and gives you time to devote to your business agenda and attendees.

Planners may also save yourselves some headaches other than financial related ones. If you have a small incentive travel group that is from a foreign culture, you might consider a cruise that will appeal to that culture. For instance, let's pretend Irish music and culture has become all the rage in Eastern Europe. You have been hired to find a cruise for a group of Eastern European business people. Your logical choice will include Ireland, and expand to the other British Isles if there is time just for a bonus.

Cruises can, indeed, be a port in this financial storm the world is in right now. Next time you are trying to find an affordable incentive travel program, take a few minutes and check on group cruise events.

You will be surprised at how easy it is to plan a meeting at sea, and stay within your budget.
 

In light of the government crackdown on meetings and incentive travel for the bailout companies, the reputation of professional planning for these events has taken a swift dive down the drain. When people ask you what you do for a living, you don’t have to mumble it so they can’t hear you then point and say, “Oh, look! A bluejay!” You can tell them what you do loud and proud with a seven-second sales pitch.

What is a Seven-Second Sales Pitch?

It’s something no sales professional or motivational trainer has heard of because it was just conceived. That’s how long it takes to say, “I save companies lots of money and stay within government guidelines by planning efficient meetings and events for them.” That–depending on how fast you talk–is a seven-second sales pitch.

You can apply this idea especially to the incentives planning business. You can say some version of the following depending on who you are talking to: Read the rest of this entry »

As a business meeting and event planner, you are continually seeking for ideas to add value to your services. Recently the federal government set forth guidelines to the corporations receiving bailout cash. These guidelines can essentially assist you to be a more valuable planner.

The boards of directors of firms acquiring unusual aid from the government have got to adopt a company-wide policy on any disbursements connected to air transportation services, entertainment and holiday parties, and conferences and events. This policy is not designed to include conservative expenses for sales conferences, team development, acceptable performance incentives and other standards attached to a corporation’s usual business operations. What does this mean? Here are some of the provisions and ways you can utilize them to cause your client’s corporations appear golden even if they are planning incentive travel. Read the rest of this entry »

President Obama has wisely criticized many companies for their misuse of funds. Unfortunately, that also included holding meetings in Las Vegas, seen as an overindulgent way to have a business meeting.

However, the criticism is unwarranted. Las Vegas and other gaming communities are not just known for their fun times and abundances. They are also know for their flexibility, willingness to go the extra mile to get large blocks of rooms booked, and for their convenience to necessary venues. In fact, Las Vegas meeting attendees often do not even end up in a vehicle–they are within walking distance of everything they need if the meeting planner has been able to get the proper accommodations. Read the rest of this entry »

Event planners who work with inventive groups are faced nowadays with clients who just don’t have the money to spend. Smaller business are trying to cut out luxuries with the hope that no one will say anything, and larger companies–especially the ones with bailout money–are trying to regain an image of competence and frugality. Incentive travel is a scary proposition for them both.

Enter the cruise. These are often much more affordable choices for people who love to travel in general, and could be your answer to the problem of affordable incentive travel. Why? Because cruises are relaxing, cruise lines have expanded their ports of call, and many of them offer sightseeing excursions in the cruise package.

Another cost-cutting advantage of the cruise is the other inclusions. If you book a pyramid tour in Egypt, for instance, you also have to plan for accommodations, meals, other activities, etc. All of this is included in the cruise. Cruises offer enormous and variable meals spreads, and there is something for everyone there. Read the rest of this entry »